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I've never seen any studies or literature discussing post surgery/chemo outcomes with higher CEA baselines. Your increase is very small too, so I would suspect stress might be the issue there. Also, sometimes the CEA can temporarily rise while cancer cells are being killed from chemo. today April 17,2017 my cea is 14.8. my liver functions are normal with no stomach pain and no cell activitie and tumors have shrunk as per petscan on Feb. 4th 2017. Interested in more discussions like this? This test measures the amount of CEA in the blood, and sometimes in other body fluids. I know that it's good to stay on top of changes, but I wonder about the damage that having this type of stress does. But this test isnt used in isolation. 2020 Nov;20(5):213. doi: 10.3892/ol.2020.12076. I hope you get them sorted soon. Although I feel fortunate that my cancer was caught early, I still have worries about my CEA blood tests and it is causing me anxiety. At onset i had Cea level of >4000 ng/ml. On the scale they use, 5 is considered "High". The level of a tumor maker may not go up until after the cancer is advanced. As far as my statement about doctors and medical scientist not knowing the correlations between the grade of tumor cells and CEA, I still believe this. CEA = Create Elevated AnxietyMy CEA has run the range from 0.57 to about 17.0. I have mets to only my bones and I have been on Femara and Xgeva for almost 2 years. MeSH My oncologist doesn't seem to worried and has said so. False-positive results greater than 15 ng/mL are rare, and all confirmed CEA levels greater than 35 ng/mL were associated with cancer recurrence. Scientists first discovered CEA in 1968 when they isolated extracts of liver metastasized by colorectal cancer and also from normal fetal digestive tract. CT with contrast is now ordered. Mine hadnt gone over 3 until I had the remaining colon removed. Consistent with our finding, there are reports suggesting that stress can increase tumor growth and tumor marker expression . The antigen levels may increase without any progression of the disease at all, creating a false positive. We all get caught up in the stats, it is difficult not to when you are dealing with this. Before It statistically suggest a much higher probability of recurrence. Collect a sample of CSF, pleural fluid or peritoneal fluid. Joint pain. My oncologist orders my blood work to be done every 3 weeks and always includes the CEA test as well Cases with CEA 5 ng/mL were majorly in Stage III, whereas those with CEA >5 ng/mL were predominantly in Stage IV. And the stats have other factors. Why is the separation of executive legislative and judicial powers necessary? What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? Your healthcare provider may use a CEA test to guide cancer treatment or to see if treatment is working. Diverticulitis . It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Tumor marker levels may be higher when there is cancer in the body. At present, CA 125 is most commonly used in the diagnosis of epithelial non-mucinous ovarian . The study, which followed 96 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), found that those who felt more stress and anxiety about about their condition also had a higher volume of cancer cells in their blood and higher blood levels of markers for advanced disease. But the tests can show important information if you already know you have cancer. Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft? Biotin can affect the results of the test. In contrast, the progression risk appeared to be lower for patients with CEA levels lower than 26.8 ng/mL, but a significance level was not reached. Does that fit in you case? Your healthcare provider may use a CEA test to guide cancer treatment or to see if treatment is working. And we here on the forum are happy to let you know that you can chill. Pathology comes back Stage 0 appendicial cancer. She is seeing a different oncologist and the same topic came up about CEA rise and when one should worry. Hung there for a couple of tests. The recurrence of colorectal polyps was significantly associated with increased CEA and CA19-9 levels. Reply. A CA 125 test isn't accurate enough to use for ovarian cancer screening in general because many conditions can increase the level of this protein. 16.7. Caffeine, Alcohol, and Tobacco. We all ride that roller coaster one way or another, but your numbers seem great to me, so try to relax..Dave. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It sounds like you are feeling good otherwise, but your concern is about the increase in the CEA numbers. Its so hard to deal with these blood tests! When the body experiences high levels of chronic stress, it releases more cortisol, the primary stress hormone.A higher serum cortisol level causes the body to decrease insulin secretion. During a blood test, your healthcare provider takes a small blood sample from one of your veins. This combination then triggers increased cholesterol levels. I know that you and a lot of folks here have equal or worse odds & worse issues to face, but the picture isn't pretty even at my shallow end of this pool. Doctors dont use the CEA test to make a first-time diagnosis of cancer. As stress related to workout frequency, intensity, and calorie demand increases throughout a season, cortisol levels slowly increase as well. Benign conditions which can elevate CEA include smoking, infections, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and some benign tumors in the same organs in which an elevated CEA level indicates cancer. I wish you all the best and negative cancer findings! I through up and broke out in a rash on my arm and stomach. There was no evidence of disease during this time and he remains disease-free. I don't think your CEA's are anything to worry about. Insert a needle or syringe into the area. What is a bad CEA level? If your CEA is 30 or above, it's pretty much a certainty there is something going on. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Also, tumor markers aren't useful for everyone. How long does it take for CEA to go down? Not every pancreatic cancer will cause elevated levels of CA 19-9, and some non-cancerous conditions (like pancreatitis and jaundice) can cause high levels of CA 19-9. That scan was clear. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Has anyone experienced fluctuation in their results? Hi everyone. I am very scared that I may have cancer somewhere in my body I am not aware of. False-positive CEA test results in the range of 5 to 15 ng/mL are common. .. OTOH the persistent high readings put us in the group with sibstantially increased odds of recurrence. In remission, you may need regular CEA tests to watch for possible recurrences. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". CEA levels normally become very low or disappear after birth. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. Serum CEA levels fluctuate over time in healthy individuals, and the intraindividual variation has been reported to be about 30% . What questions or next steps would be reasonable to ask her? People with many types of cancers can have levels that are higher than 3 ng/mL. I hope you are doing good. She also has melanoma and perhaps she can offer some suggestions. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Depending on the lab, the new normal CEA level is anywhere from 4 to 5. CA 15-3 levels can also be elevated in healthy people, as well as in people with other cancers such as lung, pancreas, colon, ovary, or prostate. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 elevation without evidence of malignant or National Library of Medicine Biomarkers. A rising CEA level indicates progression or recurrence of the cancer. Oxaliplatin has been shown to cause an inflammatory response which appears to be one of the mechanisms of toxicity and high CEA levels have been correlated with increased inflammation. Sometimes the CEA test is repeated to check that it wasn't just a blip or it might trigger scans in order to find out more. It wasnt out of the colon. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? @colleenyoung @diannechildress My CEA has been staying between 1.7 and 2.4 since my colon cancer was removed b on 1/16. On it's own, a 3.4 wouldn't get anyone excited. I truely wish eveyone the best!! If CEA levels are high initially but then decrease, it may show that the treatment is having an effect. Welcome to the forums, sorry you have to be here, but this is a good place with good people. Consistent with our finding, there are reports suggesting that stress can increase tumor growth and tumor marker expression [26, 27]. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Background. One of the effects it could have on health is a spike in blood sugar levels. Two distinct patterns of CEA rise were observed: a fast rise in which serum concentrations reached 100 microgram/l within 6 months of the first elevation and a slow rise in which concentrations remained less than 75 microgram/l for at least 12 months. PMC Copyright 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved. The normal range for CEA in an adult non-smoker is <2.5 ng/ml and for a smoker <5.0 ng/ml. Of course CEA can be elevated for entirely non-cancerous reasons. Go to the Colorectal Cancer Support Group. Inflammation can affect tumor development and progression in addition to the response to therapy. Tumor Markers (Fact Sheet) - Oncology Nurse Advisor If your CEA results were normal, you may still have cancer. Also, anything in the 1.0 - 5.0 is considered "normal". That would be a simple first step. Will you come back and let me know how your appt goes, and how you are doing? It is elevated in more than 90% cases of colon and pancreatic cancer, 70% cases of non-small cell lung cancer, and 50% cases of breast cancer. A normal level of CEA is less than or equal to 3 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). I am scared that a "wait and see" approach and re-test might show a skyrocketing increase in the number and that I should have done something when the number was only "slightly elevated".